Ceará Women and The Way of Making Literature [Sector Ceará Collection]

The exhibition brings together works by Ceará's women authors from the 19th and 20th centuries, allowing the recognition of their strengths and characteristics through literature

Cover of A Casa, by Natércia Campos (details) (2011) by Natércia CamposBiblioteca Pública Estadual do Ceará

Natércia Campos

Born in Fortaleza on September 30th, 1938, and died in Fortaleza on June 2nd, 2004.   A writer of "great expressive force", as stated by Coelho in the Critical Dictionary of Brazilian Women Writers (2002).   


In the 1980s, she entered the literary scene by publishing some short stories in the literary supplement of the newspaper O Povo de Fortaleza. A Escada (The Stairs) was her first short story published in 1987 and won first place in the Sudameris Literary Contest. She was elected to the Academia Cearense de Letras (Ceará Academy of Letters),  in 2002.

Front matter of A Casa, by Natércia Campos (2011) by Natércia CamposBiblioteca Pública Estadual do Ceará

In 1998, Natércia published her first novel A Casa, and was awarded the Osmundo Pontes Literature Prize.  The novel has as a character the house itself, which is a kind of storyteller.  

Being a character, A Casa narrates in a poetic language her memories about the life of a family from the northeastern Brazilian backlands, exposing the experiences that take place inside the house as well as the peculiarities of the region. 

To compose this narrative, Natércia made a study of the popular culture of Ceará, of the oral and religious traditions, bringing elements that protagonize human experiences. 

Cover of Em sonho...fantasias, by Alba Valdez (2017) by Alba ValdezBiblioteca Pública Estadual do Ceará

Alba Valdez

Alba Valdez is the pseudonym of Maria Rodrigues Peixe, born in Vila de São Francisco de Uruburetama, today known as Itapajé (CE).   eacher, journalist, writer and feminist, was published in newspapers, magazines and books. Founded and presided over the Ceará Feminist League (Liga Feminista Cearense) in 1904.

Alba Valdez was the first woman to join the Ceará Academy of Letters (Academia Cearense de Letras), in 1937. 

Front matter of Em sonho...fantasias, de Alba Valdez (2017) by Alba ValdezBiblioteca Pública Estadual do Ceará

Em sonho...fantasias

The book was published in 1901, as part of a collection of chronicles and short stories already published previously in the press. There are 37 short narratives written in a soft language, having as leitmotiv the presence of nature and all the symbolism it expresses. 

Some of these narratives were translated to Swedish and French. 

Fern Cover, by Antônia Sampaio (2009) by Antônia Sampaio FontesBiblioteca Pública Estadual do Ceará

Antônia Sampaio Fontes

Born in Baturité, on February 24th, 1884 and died on March 2nd, 1963. Her poems were collected and published posthumously by her grandson Eduardo Fontes, in two books: Relíquias do Coração and Samambaia: poesias.

Cover page of Samambaia, by Antônia Sampaio (details) (2009) by Antônia Sampaio FontesBiblioteca Pública Estadual do Ceará

Samambaia: poesias 

Book with 171 pages, edited by Expressão Gráfica Editora, 2009, Fortaleza. The book presents themes such as nature, love, longing and faith. 

Cover of O Mundo de Flora, by Angela Gutiérrez (1990) by Angela GutiérrezBiblioteca Pública Estadual do Ceará

Angela Gutiérrez

Born on January 23rd, 1945, in Fortaleza. Professor at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), writer and the first woman the chair the Academia Cearense de Letras (Ceará Academy of Letters), for the period of 2019-2020.

Signed front matter of O Mundo de Flora, by Angela Gutiérrez (details) (1990) by Angela GutiérrezBiblioteca Pública Estadual do Ceará

O Mundo de Flora 

Angela Gutiérrez's debut novel written around 1982, but not published until 1990. The narrative is about the story of Flora, a thirty-three-year-old woman, who reminisces about her childhood and is confronted with her fears, her experiences, and her dreams.

The story mixes the good and bad memories of the past involving the different generations of the family, especially the women. Flora's imagination fits many simple and complex things, having as leitmotif the fear transiting between life and death.

O Mundo de Flora is a novel that raises discussions about themes such as death, religion, prejudice, racism, education, and politics. The narrative is structured in short chapters, snippets of the characters' lives, in a non-linear timeframe.

Credits: Story

Promoção
Secretaria da Cultura do Estado do Ceará 
Secretário: Fabiano Piúba

Gestão
Instituto Dragão do Mar
Diretora-presidenta: Rachel Gadelha
Diretor de Articulação: Lenildo Gomes
Gerente de Articulação Institucional: Benjamim Lucas

Realização
Biblioteca Pública Estadual do Ceará 
Diretora: Enide Vidal
Superintendente: Suzete Nunes

Coordenação de Acervo, Pesquisa e Conhecimento
Coordenador: Rodrigo Alves 
Assistente: Priscila Damasceno
Bibliotecário: Lucas Corrêa 
Estagiária: Madalena Herminio
Pesquisador: Lucas Rodrigues

Setor Coleção Ceará 
Bibliotecárias: Regina Célia; Regina Cláudia
Técnica administrativa: Rita Maria
Técnica em Biblioteconomia: Vitória Santiago

Curadoria, Edição e Revisão 
Coordenador: Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Alves
Bibliotecário: Lucas Corrêa
Estagiária: Madalena Herminio
Pesquisador: Lucas Rodrigues

Textos
Prof. Drª. Socorro Pinheiro [UECE]
Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Alves 

Comunicação
Ivy Ariane
Eri Filho
Uli Batista

Fotos
Gandhi Guimarães

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.